Internet Shortcut Sanitizer (.URL and .website files)

[Ascend4nt 125]

Internet Shortcut Sanitizer

---

With the newest Firefox and IE browsers, there's a bit of an issue with Internet Shortcuts created, which have been traditionally saved in a .URL file on Windows (an INI-structured file).

Firefox now adds Icon information to the file which points it at a location within %localappdata%MozillaProfiles.  This to me is annoying and unnecessary. While it may reflect the favicon of a website, its got a few problems:

1. When the cache is cleared or the bookmark is moved to another computer or put on a fresh install, that icon isn't there anymore.
2. These shortcuts contain your logon name (part of %localappdata%), so be aware of this if you are going to share them! (or just use a generic logon)

 

Here's the content of a typical Firefox .URL file (<LogonName> is your Windows logon):

[InternetShortcut]
URL=http://www.google.com/
IDList=
HotKey=0
IconFile=C:\Users\<LogonName>\AppData\Local\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\a3n21a.default\shortcutCache\md34sdyu7s_g==.ico
IconIndex=0

_

Update: if you have Firefox 21, you can follow and edit Firefox's about:config settings to fix the way URL shortcuts are created.

Internet Explorer (IE 9+) now has its own new shortcut extension (.website), which seems to only work with the IE browser.  These files are basically 'enhanced' internet shortcuts. The extra information included is cryptic, and appears to be of no use outside of IE.  However, the INI-format is the same, and the [internetShortcut] section is the same, so it can simply be renamed to have a .URL extension.

Here's the content of a typical Internet Explorer 9+ .website file:

[{000214A0-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}]
Prop4=31,Google
Prop3=19,2
[{A7AF692E-098D-4C08-A225-D433CA835ED0}]
Prop5=3,0
Prop9=19,0
[InternetShortcut]
URL=http://www.google.com/
IDList=
IconFile=http://www.google.com/favicon.ico
IconIndex=1
[{9F4C2855-9F79-4B39-A8D0-E1D42DE1D5F3}]
Prop12=19,2
Prop5=8,Microsoft.Website.9CB8E698.8730F9E8

_

(Note the embedded [internetShortcut] section)

Sanitize your shortcuts!

The fix for these problems?  A little Internet Shortcut Sanitizer program.  If you're like me and just want Internet Shortcuts to be just that - a simple file with a URL in it, then this program will give you what you need.  It strips everything out but the 2 lines necessary to work as a .URL file:

[InternetShortcut]
URL=http://www.website.com

_

The script will also create .URL's from .website files and remove all the IE related stuff.  Currently it either takes 1 parameter or allows you to select 1 file to change.  However, it can be adapted to work on multiple files with a little extra effort.  However, I'd recommend something like grepWin to clear out folders (see 3rd post), and maybe a batch file renamer to deal with .website -> .URL conversion.

Below is the script.

Changelog:

2013-05-17:

- Packaged the main functionality of the script into the embedded UDF: _InternetShortcutSanitize()

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; ==================================================================================================================
; <InternetShortcutSanitizer.au3>
;
;   'Sanitizes' Internet shortcuts, both of the traditional Windows .URL format and of the newer IE .website format
;    In the case of the latter, it will delete the .website variant and create a URL version
;
; Author: Ascend4nt
; ==================================================================================================================

Local $sFile

If $CmdLine[0] < 1  Then
    $sFile=FileOpenDialog("Select Internet Shortcut to Sanitize","","Internet Shortcut Files (*.URL;*.website)|All Files (*.*)",3)
    If @error Or $sFile="" Then Exit
Else
    $sFile = $CmdLine[1]
EndIf
$sFile = StringStripWS($sFile,3)
If Not FileExists($sFile) Then Exit

;~ ConsoleWrite("Internet Shortcut file to sanitize = "&$sFile&@CRLF)

_InternetShortcutSanitize($sFile)



; ===================================================================================================
; Func _InternetShortcutSanitize($sFile)
;
; 'Sanitizes' the Internet shortcut file passed. This keeps URL files to a 2-line file of this format:
;   [InternetShortcut]
;   URL=http://www.website.com
;
; In the case the input file is an Internet Explorer .website shortcut (in IE 9+), it will
; create a .URL file of the same name, and upon successful write, it will delete the .website file.
;
; $sFile = Full path to file to sanitize
;
; Return:
;  Success: True
;  Failure: False with @error set
;
; Author: Ascend4nt
; ===================================================================================================

Func _InternetShortcutSanitize($sFile)
    If $sFile = "" Then Return SetError(1,@error,False)

    ; Get rid of whitespace at beginning & end
    $sFile = StringStripWS($sFile,3)

    Local $sFileOut, $nRet
    Local $sURL = "", $sFileContent = ""

    $sURL = IniRead($sFile, "InternetShortcut", "URL", "")
    If @error Or $sURL = "" Then Return SetError(-1,@error,False)

;~  ConsoleWrite("URL = "&$sURL&@CRLF)

    ; Standard URL format
    $sFileContent = "[InternetShortcut]"&@CRLF&"URL="&$sURL&@CRLF

    ; $sFileOut: If not .website, we keep it the same.
    ;  Otherwise, we transfer it to a .URL file
    If StringRight($sFile, 8) = ".website" Then
        $sFileOut = StringReplace($sFile, ".website", ".URL", -1)
    Else
        $sFileOut = $sFile
    EndIf

    ; Create/Overwrite the URL file
    $hFile = FileOpen($sFileOut, 2)
    If $hFile = -1 Then Return SetError(3, 0, False)

    $nRet = FileWrite($hFile, $sFileContent)

    FileClose($hFile)

    ; FileWrite error?
    If Not $nRet Then
;~      ConsoleWrite("File Write error"&@CRLF)
        Return SetError(4,0,False)
    EndIf

    ; .website -> .URL 'translation' performed?  Delete .website file
    If $sFile <> $sFileOut Then
        ; Make sure we actually created the .URL file before delete:
        If FileExists($sFileOut) Then FileDelete($sFile)
    EndIf

    Return True
EndFunc

Edited May 17, 2013 by Ascend4nt

[tirpider 0]

Thaks for sharing this.

I was unaware of the issue. I love stripping and deleting superfulous data from dumb proprietary formats.

[Ascend4nt 125]

Glad ya found it helpful.  I should just put it in a UDF function, that'd be the sensible thing to do.  Right now I just tend to use it on individual files after creating shortcuts, along with the simple shell app Open++ to run the script based on the filetype.

Btw, if anyone just wants to strip out the personal info with something like grepWin, this Regular Expression will work (on *.url files):

IconFile=.:\\.*\v+IconIndex=\d*\v+

[paulpmeier 1]

For Firefox look also:

http://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/942316?page=4
tenbucks posted 5/15/13 3:13 AM
 

"Finally. It's here with FF 21. You need to add the browser.shell.shortcutFavicons entry in about:config. It doesn't come with it. Make it boolean and set it to false. Restart FF."

 

Paul

[guinness 1,495]

 

I should just put it in a UDF function

I would prefer this too. Plus, seems you're into grepWIn right now.

Edited May 17, 2013 by guinness

[Ascend4nt 125]

For Firefox look also:

http://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/942316?page=4

tenbucks posted 5/15/13 3:13 AM

 

"Finally. It's here with FF 21. You need to add the browser.shell.shortcutFavicons entry in about:config. It doesn't come with it. Make it boolean and set it to false. Restart FF."

 

Paul

 

Nice!  I just updated to Firefox 21 and added that. It works nicely, thanks for the tip!

[Ascend4nt 125]

I would prefer this too. Plus, seems you're into grepWIn right now.

 

Haha, yes you can probably see the trail I left leading from PortableFreeware to here and back again!  Seems if there's some tool I need, its either there or here - or yet to be created.

Oh, and I did a little editing so now the 'sanitize' code is in a UDF (inside the main script).

Changelog:

2013-05-17:

- Packaged the main functionality of the script into the embedded UDF: _InternetShortcutSanitize()

[guinness 1,495]

Cheers Ascend4nt.

[harriifu 0]

Hi all!

I don't have any Autoit experience, but I updated the script in a quick and dirty way, such that it can handle multiple files at once (via command line - i.e. you can drag and drop many files onto your executable). I think Autoit can only process 63 commandline elements at a time - and i didn't add any checks, etc. - but I think this version will do for quite a lot of use cases.

Cheers =)

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#include <MsgBoxConstants.au3>

; ==================================================================================================================
; <InternetShortcutSanitizer.au3>
;
;   'Sanitizes' Internet shortcuts, both of the traditional Windows .URL format and of the newer IE .website format
;    In the case of the latter, it will delete the .website variant and create a URL version
;
; Author: Ascend4nt
; ==================================================================================================================

Local $sFile
Local $iParamCount
Local $fBoolFirstElementSkipped
$iParamCount = $CmdLine[0]

If $iParamCount < 1 Then
    $sFile=FileOpenDialog("Select Internet Shortcut to Sanitize","","Internet Shortcut Files (*.URL;*.website)|All Files (*.*)",3)
    If @error Or $sFile="" Then Exit
Else
    $fBoolFirstElementSkipped = False

    For $sElement In $CmdLine
        If $fBoolFirstElementSkipped = False Then
            $fBoolFirstElementSkipped = True
        Else
            $sFile = $sElement
            $sFile = StringStripWS($sFile,3)
            ;MsgBox($MB_SYSTEMMODAL, "Current File (5 Sec Timeout)", $sFile, 5)
            If Not FileExists($sFile) Then Exit
            ;~ ConsoleWrite("Internet Shortcut file to sanitize = "&$sFile&@CRLF)
            _InternetShortcutSanitize($sFile)
        EndIf
    Next
EndIf

; ===================================================================================================
; Func _InternetShortcutSanitize($sFile)
;
; 'Sanitizes' the Internet shortcut file passed. This keeps URL files to a 2-line file of this format:
;   [InternetShortcut]
;   URL=http://www.website.com
;
; In the case the input file is an Internet Explorer .website shortcut (in IE 9+), it will
; create a .URL file of the same name, and upon successful write, it will delete the .website file.
;
; $sFile = Full path to file to sanitize
;
; Return:
;  Success: True
;  Failure: False with @error set
;
; Author: Ascend4nt
; ===================================================================================================

Func _InternetShortcutSanitize($sFile)
    If $sFile = "" Then Return SetError(1,@error,False)

    ; Get rid of whitespace at beginning & end
    $sFile = StringStripWS($sFile,3)

    Local $sFileOut, $nRet
    Local $sURL = "", $sFileContent = ""

    $sURL = IniRead($sFile, "InternetShortcut", "URL", "")
    If @error Or $sURL = "" Then Return SetError(-1,@error,False)

;~  ConsoleWrite("URL = "&$sURL&@CRLF)

    ; Standard URL format
    $sFileContent = "[InternetShortcut]"&@CRLF&"URL="&$sURL&@CRLF

    ; $sFileOut: If not .website, we keep it the same.
    ;  Otherwise, we transfer it to a .URL file
    If StringRight($sFile, 8) = ".website" Then
        $sFileOut = StringReplace($sFile, ".website", ".URL", -1)
    Else
        $sFileOut = $sFile
    EndIf

    ; Create/Overwrite the URL file
    $hFile = FileOpen($sFileOut, 2)
    If $hFile = -1 Then Return SetError(3, 0, False)

    $nRet = FileWrite($hFile, $sFileContent)

    FileClose($hFile)

    ; FileWrite error?
    If Not $nRet Then
;~      ConsoleWrite("File Write error"&@CRLF)
        Return SetError(4,0,False)
    EndIf

    ; .website -> .URL 'translation' performed?  Delete .website file
    If $sFile <> $sFileOut Then
        ; Make sure we actually created the .URL file before delete:
        If FileExists($sFileOut) Then FileDelete($sFile)
    EndIf

    Return True
EndFunc